Marc-André Hamelin: A Celebrity superlative

Wednesday

Apr 9, 2014 at 4:00 PMApr 20, 2014 at 7:27 PM

By Keith PowersWicked Local Arts correspondent

Despite what he says, pianist Marc-André Hamelin is not a regular guy.Regular guys do not substitute on three hours notice for Peter Serkin.Regular guys do not have four artistic residencies at the same time.Regular guys are not in constant demand in Europe and North America for their mastery not only of standard piano repertory, but rarely performed works by composers like Medtner, Alkan and Dukas.And, regular guys do not curate three Celebrity Series performances in a single year.And so when he insists affably, "I’m just a regular guy," over coffee in Boston between trips back and forth to Europe where he’s on tour with the Montreal Symphony, the facts seem to argue otherwise.Hamelin, despite his international schedule, is regularly sighted on the Boston area music scene. He and his wife, WGBH radio host Cathy Fuller, have just moved to Waltham from their longtime residence in Newton. His Celebrity Series appearances this season, part of the organization’s super-sized 75th anniversary celebration, kicked off with a solo recital in December at Jordan Hall.His next appearances are joint ventures: a two-piano recital with Emanuel Ax at Symphony Hall on April 13, and a return to Jordan Hall on May 2 with violinist Anthony Marwood and clarinetist Martin Fröst. All three programs were planned and conceived by Hamelin."They told me to think big," Hamelin says of the original Celebrity Series invitation, "and so I did. They gave me carte blanche. It’s an important anniversary for Celebrity Series, commemorating their founder Aaron Richmond, and they wanted some special events for the occasion."I was absolutely delighted to get Manny Ax to agree to a duo recital," he says. "We’ve become friends, but we’ve never played together. I’ve been playing the solo Brahms F minor sonata, and I’ll do that, and I felt sure that Manny had played the other F minor, the duo sonata. There’s no way that it could be anything but a thrilling experience to play with him."Hamelin has performed with his trio partners, Marwood and Fröst, performing the same program of Schubert, Debussy, Stravinsky, Poulenc and Bartok in Europe earlier this year."We played this concert several times, most recently in Wigmore Hall in London," Hamelin says, "which was an almost perfect setting. Anthony has been in Boston (in 2011, with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, performing Thomas Adès’ violin concerto), but if people haven’t heard Martin play yet, they will. He has a tremendous career in Europe, he absolutely owns the Copland concerto, and his Mozart is exquisite."Being with people who totally agree with you musically, with whom you can go onstage and just be, or do, what you want to do," he says, "I really can’t wait for that."This set of concerts - a solo recital with some of Hamelin’s own music, and a Medtner sonata; a duo with one his most well regarded colleagues; and a chamber trio of challenging compositions - sums up Hamelin’s approach succinctly. With great works, and in this case, great colleagues, and a splash of challenging, corner-of-the-repertory pieces, Hamelin has created an identity as a pianist who can appeal to audiences willing to stretch their own boundaries."The act of sharing is what carries me on," he says, "helping audiences discover something that they may want to return to. And that goes for familiar works like Beethoven sonatas as well. I have such a desire to be understood. I ask myself constantly, ‘Is this getting across?’ That helps me no matter what I’m playing."An audience to me is a friend. I appreciate every audience - they came, and they’re curious. And I give 10,000 percent of what I have. The last thing I want to do is antagonize them. I may want to challenge them, true, and the sad reality is that you cannot please everyone. But it is surprising how many people you can please."Marc-André Hamelin, with Emanuel Ax, pianosWHEN: Sunday, April 13, 3 p.m.WHERE: Symphony Hall, 300 Massachusetts Ave., BostonTICKETS: $30-$105INFO: 617-482-6661 or visitwww.celebrityseries.orgMarc-André Hamelin, with Anthony Marwood, violin and Martin Fröst, clarinetWHEN: Friday, May 2, 8 p.m.WHERE: Jordan Hall, 30 Gainsborough St., BostonTICKETS: $35-$60INFO: 617-482-6661 or visitwww.celebrityseries.org

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